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'The View' co-hosts of the past 21 years

Twenty-one years ago on Aug. 11, 1997, we were introduced to "The View." A show, where intelligent women discussed their opinions, as well as asked celebrities and political figures the tough questions. Here, we take a look at all of the ladies who have tackled the sometimes-fiery, hot topics, beginning with the OG cast.

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'The View' co-hosts of the past 21 years

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Twenty-one years ago on Aug. 11, 1997, we were introduced to "The View." A show, where intelligent women discussed their opinions, as well as asked celebrities and political figures the tough questions. Here, we take a look at all of the ladies who have tackled the sometimes-fiery, hot topics, beginning with the OG cast.
ANDREW ECCLES/ABC, ABC

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Veteran journalist Barbara Walters, seen in 2014, created the series and served as co-host and executive producer.
Robert Deutsch, USAT

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In March 2015, with her then co-hosts (left to right) Rosie Perez, Nicolle Wallace, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar and Mario Cantone, she celebrated the show's 4,000th episode.
Lou Rocco, ABC

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Walters, with then-President Barack Obama in 2010, left her hosting chair in 2014. On her final show, several women in broadcasting paid their respects to the living legend, including Oprah Winfrey, Diane Sawyer and Katie Couric.
SAUL LOEB, AFP/Getty Images

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Debbie Matenopoulos, second from right, called Walters her colleague for a brief period, as seen in a photo from the show's premiere with (from left), Meredith Vieira, guest Tom Selleck, Joy Behar and Star Jones.
STEVE FENN, ABC

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In her early 20s when she landed the gig, Matenopoulos appeared on the show's first two seasons. Since her exit, she has appeared on the show as a guest co-host, as seen in this Nov. 2016 photo with, from left, Vieira, Jones and Behar.
Lou Rocco , ABC

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Star Jones, second from left with Vieira, Behar and Walters, is another member of the original cast.
ED BAILEY, AP

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Jones with, from left Vieira, Bette Midler, Behar and then-co-host Lisa Ling, stunned her counterparts when she announced her exit in 2006 on air, after learning her contract would not be renewed. "I would have loved for Star to have left and not said 'I was fired,' and not make it look like the program was somehow being cruel to her," Walters told The Associated Press shortly after the incident.
ERIC LIEBOWITZ, CBS

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She now served as executive producer and writer on "Daytime Divas," a VH1 series about five female cohorts hosting a show called "The Lunch Hour."
Paul Hawthorne, Getty Images

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Comedian Joy Behar, seen strapping in guest Tom Cruise to keep him from "couch jumping" as Jones looks on, has long brought laughs to the set.
Steve Fenn, ABC

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Behar, with from left, Jones, Walters, Ling and Vieira at the 2001 Daytime Emmy Awards, briefly departed from the show in 2013.
STUART RAMSON, Associated Press

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Behar resumed her co-hosting post that she currently holds in 2015.
Donna Svennevik, AP

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Meredith Vieira (with Jones), who also served as moderator, rounds out the original cast.
STEVE FENN, ABC

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Seen with model/actress Elle MacPherson, left, in 1997, Vieira brought a refreshing candor to the show until her exit in 2006.
STEVE FENN, ABC

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Since she has co-hosted the "Today" show and hosted "The Meredith Vieira Show," which premiered in 2014 and ran for two seasons.
Todd Plitt, USA TODAY

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Ling, left with Walters, occupied the space once filled by Matenopoulos, beginning in 1999.
MARIA MELIN, ABC

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In Halloween costume with her then-co-hosts, from left Vieira, Behar, Jones and Walters, Ling, right, represented youths on the panel and once had her bellybutton pierced on-air.
IDA MAE ASTUTE, ABC

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Ling left the show in 2002 to host "National Geographic Explorer." Her current show, "This Is Life with Lisa Ling" premiered in 2014.
Frederick M. Brown, Getty Images

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Hasselbeck's views sometimes clashed with those of her co-host, Rosie O'Donnell (second from left, pictured with Walters and Behar).
HEIDI GUTMAN, AP

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She left "The View" in 2013 for a gig with "Fox & Friends," making her debut that fall. She exited the Fox News program in 2015 to be a full-time mom.
Richard Drew, AP

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After Vieira vacated the moderator chair, Rosie O'Donnell was tapped to fill her shoes in 2006. She stayed for just one season.
MARY ALTAFFER, AP

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O'Donnell, pictured in 2006 with Walters, Behar and Hasselbeck, rejoined the cast in 2014 but left again in 2015. That year, her spokeswoman Cindi Berger explained to People magazine, "She’s focused on her kids now."
MARY ALTAFFER, AP

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O'Donnell, pictured in New York in 2017, has continued appearing onscreen as an actress.
Dia Dipasupil, Getty Images

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Following O'Donnell's first exit, Whoopi Goldberg (pictured with Walters) was hired as "The View" moderator in 2007.
STEVE FENN, AP

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The current co-host is pictured with, from left, Behar, guest actor Eddie Izzard, and co-host Sara Haines in June of 2017.
Lorenzo Bevilaqua, ABC

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While fulfilling her hosting duties, Goldberg has continued to act, write and produce. She also directed the 2013 documentary "Moms Mabley: I Got Somethin' to Tell You."
ANGELA WEISS, AFP/Getty Images

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Also in 2007, Sherri Shepherd, second from right seen here with (from left) Goldberg, Walters, guest Tom Cruise, Behar and Hasselbeck, joined the women of "The View."
IDA MAE ASTUTE, AP

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After discussing hot topics for seven years, Shepherd (pictured with Walters) left the series In 2014.
Robert Deutsch, USAT

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Shepherd seen in Atlanta in February 2017, recently played the role of Agent Beverly on "K.C. Undercover."
Paras Griffin, WireImage

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Comedian-actress Jenny McCarthy, far left, with Walters, O'Donnell, Shepherd and Goldberg, signed up to be a part of the cast in 2013.
Lou Rocco, ABC

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During an April 2014 episode, Jenny McCarthy announced her engagement to now-husband Donnie Wahlberg.
Heidi Gutman, AP

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McCarthy left "The View" later that year and currently hosts "Dirty, Sexy, Funny" on SiriusXM.
Jeff Schear, Getty Images for SiriusXM

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Like McCarthy, Rosie Perez, second from right with, from left, Goldberg, then-co-host Nicolle Wallace, Taylor Swift and O'Donnell in 2014, also had a short tenure on the show.
Lou Rocco, ABC

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Seen during an episode in 2015, Rosie Perez joined the all-female cast in 2014 and left the following year.
Lou Rocco, ABC

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Perez, in New York in 2016, has since acted in "Search Party" and other roles.
Jim Spellman, WireImage

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Wallace, far right, with Goldberg, Perez and O'Donnell, was also a "View" newbie the year Perez started.
Yolanda Perez, ABC

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Like Perez, Wallace, seen with from left, Goldberg, D.L. Hughley, and her former co-host Michelle Collins, exited "The View" after one season.
Lou Rocco, ABC

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Actress Raven-Symone, with Haines, took a position as a co-host in 2015.
Lou Rocco, ABC

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Pictured with Sherri Shepherd in 2016, she announced she was leaving the program in Oct. of that year.
Lou Rocco, ABC

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She resumed her 'That's So Raven' character for 2017's "Raven's Home."
Bob D'Amico, Disney Channel

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Comedian Michelle Collins, with "Orange Is the New Black" actress Lea DeLaria, came aboard in 2015.
Lou Rocco, ABC

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With Behar and director Quentin Tarantino during her inaugural year, Collins remained a co-host until the following summer.
Lou Rocco, ABC

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She also co-hosted ABC's "After Paradise," the after show for "Bachelor in Paradise."
Richard Harbaugh, ABC

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In August of 2015, ABC announced actress Candace Cameron Bure (pictured) and "Good Morning America Weekend Edition" co-host Paula Faris would take a little time to join "The View."
Lou Rocco, ABC

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Celebrating her 40th Birthday on the show in April of 2016, Cameron Bure revealed her decision to exit that Dec. to devote more time to her family and acting obligations.
Lou Rocco, ABC

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One of her acting gigs includes resuming her childhood role of D.J.Tanner for Netflix's "Fuller House."
Michael Yarish/Netflix

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It was announced in July 2018 that Faris, who joined the show in 2015, would leave "The View".
Lorenzo Bevilaqua, ABC

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The Michigan native poses with guest co-host Caitlyn Jenner in July of 2017.
Lorenzo Bevilaqua, ABC

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In a 2016 interview with The Hollywood Reporter Faris said crafting arguments for "The View" has made her "a better broadcaster."
"...I think I'm just more researched, I'm more read-in and I'm more ready for anything that comes my way," she said.
Heidi Gutman, ABC

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McCain, the daughter of Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain seen at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in 2014, previously co-hosted Fox News's 'Outnumbered'.
NICHOLAS KAMM, AFP/Getty Images

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ABC announced on Aug. 28, 2018, that Abby Huntsman will join "The View" as co-host when the show returns for its 22nd season.
Gustavo Caballero, Getty Images for Vivienne Tam

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"I look forward to adding my own point of view to the most interesting and successful talk show on television today," Huntsman, a former "Fox & Friends Weekend" host, said in ABC's announcement. "Joining the women at ‘The View’ really is a dream come true!”
Rob Kim, Getty Images for SiriusXM

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Twenty-one years ago on Aug. 11, 1997, we were introduced to "The View." A show, where intelligent women discussed their opinions, as well as asked celebrities and political figures the tough questions. Here, we take a look at all of the ladies who have tackled the sometimes-fiery, hot topics, beginning with the OG cast.